Environment and immigration correspondent

It sounds like a dream come true for traffic-weary northern beaches residents: buses with speed and capacity to rival trains and a tunnel bypassing one of Sydney's slowest commuter routes.

But these and other options floated by the state government to cut travel times along Pittwater, Spit and Military roads have been criticised as ''inadequate'' by North Sydney Council and divided residents.

Fairfax Media has obtained a number of submissions to Transport for NSW's ''bus rapid transit'' pre-feasibility study to the northern beaches after the department refused to release them.

The study - a Coalition election promise - examined five options between Mona Vale and the city. It included a two-lane tunnel from Spit Junction to the Warringah freeway, establishing 24-hour bus lanes and widening the Spit Bridge to six lanes, potentially closing it to marine traffic.

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It also canvassed an east-west option between Chatswood and Dee Why, including widening Warringah Road and improved access to the Chatswood interchange. The study concluded that a package of bus rapid transit measures was feasible, but conceded that prioritising buses by removing general traffic lanes would lead to longer trips for other vehicles.

Of the north-south options, North Sydney Council supported only the tunnel solution, because it would not require abolishing street parking on Military Road. But it cautioned that bus services on the Spit-Military Road corridor must not be cut.

It described the study as ''inadequate'' because it did not consider other transport modes, including heavy and light rail, or take a long-term strategic approach to ''adequately cater to the growing population'' of the northern beaches, which is set to increase by 45,000 by 2036.

About 9600 passengers and 210 buses enter the city from the northern beaches between 7am and 9am on weekdays.

The Neutral Bay Chamber of Commerce said the Harbour Bridge and Wynyard already fail to cope with the volume of buses and the study did not address the problem. It would also campaign against a loss of parking.

But Warringah Council strongly supported a bus rapid transit system in both directions. If only one option is pursued, it preferred the east-west solution, which would complement a proposed northern beaches hospital and give access to alternative public transport options at Chatswood.

Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian said the government was considering ''all options'' for a bus rapid transit network.

However a Transport for NSW spokesman said the government had no plans to widen the Spit Bridge. He said the NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan considered a range of measures for the corridor and work was under way to relieve congestion for buses entering the city from the Harbour Bridge.

He said following Fairfax Media's inquiries, submissions to the study would be made public.